The chase for the dolls
by Miraculous Fanfic Lover
Summary: They had just been to a party masked as Ladybug and Chat Noir neither expecting to find dolls claming themselves to be former humans and supernatural creatures. When they find out that it was their responsibility to protect themselves and all of Paris will Ladybug and Chat Noir be able to take this responsibility on their shoulders, stop evil and be the perfect couple? AU- Edited
1. The Ball

**A/N**

_Hello! This is Miraculous Fanfic Lover back again. It's been a long time since I read any fanfics (Ok, two weeks maybe ;3 ) Unfortunately I had a funeral of one of my grandfather's so those weeks were hectic. _

_Anyways, as I had promised in my profile, 'The chase for the dolls' is on! This chase I hope will be purrety interesting and chapter 01 as you'll know was and is the exact same one I had wrote on chapter 03 of when will my ship sail so if you have read it feel free to skip to the next chapter where things spice up a little bit._

_Enjoy..._

**A/N 2-** _Ok, so I updated all these chapters with a few good edits all thanks to GreenPaw! If there is any confusion please feel free to read from the beginning :)_

**_I thank profusely, GreenPaw for helping in reviewing and editing this story despite his/her busy schedule... :)_**

_*Rated T just to be safe *_

**A/N**

* * *

"Marinette! You've got just 30 minutes left!" Alya called from the opposite end of their shared apartment. "Make sure you wear your mask!"

As if she would forget. Today was the day! The day of the annual masquerade ball being held by Marinette's college. But there was more to it this year, as in the twist to the competition to choose the best couple from the entire college. The new CATch… the staff would be randomly choosing partners and giving them time to learn about each other, after which the annual contest would begin.

Slipping in her decorative earrings, Marinette paused to take another look in the mirror at the masked costume she had designed herself. It was a beautiful red and black Ladybug inspired dress and her mask had been created with the same material. It was elegant and gorgeous.

Her roommate called out another reminder of the time.

"Coming!" Marinette replied, checking her dress one final time.

Alya grinned the moment her best friend emerged from her room. "You look gorgeous, Marinette. Now, if the lady in the red would be kind enough," she stated with dramatic flair and a wave to the doorway.

Marinette tried to hold back her smirk as she played up to her friend's antics. "Oh, I will. Let's go!"

Excitement pulsed through her veins. Today was a wonderful day. Which would only get better if she managed to gain Adrien as her partner. That would be the best!

* * *

"Adrien. Remember, you should be on your best behaviour and wear the costume which Mr. Agreste designed," Nathalie stated with cool indifference.

"The warrior one? Sure Nathalie, I will." Adrien deadpanned, having absolutely no intention of doing so, at least once he'd escaped the confines of his home.

Gabriel Agreste had designed Adrien's outfit himself. It was a warrior's costume and had absolutely no mask! Much to the young man's annoyance. Adrien had insisted that he wanted to blend in with the others at college but his father was not buying it. Gabriel just shrugged him off with the comment, "We are Agreste's and we are different." Yeah right!

Adrien had kept his mouth shut, inwardly protesting. He was not giving up either. Little did his father know, the blonde had been fashioning his own costume on the sly. One which was not as fancy as anything Gabriel would create but was to Adrien's own taste.

As soon as he reached the college he quickly crept into the nearest restroom. Adrien himself had designed the costume with great difficulty. Thank goodness for the internet. Ditching his father's creation, Adrien switched his outfits. Now he wore the black cat costume, which he'd accessorised with a small cat bell, along with his customised mask.

With a roguish smirk and confident swagger, the blonde wondered to himself,_Now, who will be my puurincess?_

* * *

Upon the stage, Cammela, the senior head announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, now it's time to seek out your partners! Madam Bustier will give you a chit and you will have find the lady or gent with the matching chit. We will give you one hour to get to know each other and then we will start the contest."

Adrien was handed his individual chit, and on it was boldly written "LN".He was really excited to know who his partner would be. Soon almost everyone had paired up but it seemed that his lady was still missing, scanning the mass of participants he failed to see any solo ladies. Hence, he did the only thing which came to his mind. Shouting out, "LN! Who is LN?"

On the other side of the room, Marinette received her chit from Madam Bustier which also read, "LN".

"LN, what does that mean?" Mari thought.

As if someone was reading her mind, a male voice shouted from the opposite side of the crowd, "LN! Who is LN?"

"Over here!" Marinette shouted back as she adjusted her mask and headed to where the sound came from. Weaving her way through the throng of people, she inwardly hoped the person calling out was Adrien. But the moment she spotted the man wearing a black cat costume and holding the chit "LN" in his hand her heart sank. Adrien would never wear something so ordinary. Oh! This day was going to be awful!

"Hello there," the man said, reaching for her hand as he attempted to kiss her knuckles but Marinette was not having any part in it.

He startled as she abruptly pulled away from his grasp. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." He straightened and recomposed himself with a polite smile. "Well... Hi! I'm Chat... Chat Noir," the ma- Chat Noir beamed with pride.

Marinette stared at him in puzzlement for a moment. "Oh! It's ok. You know that we can reveal our real names, don't you?"

"I do! But in my case, No! It will be better for my identity to remain a secret," Chat sighed.

While his request was a little odd, Marinette decided it was a bit of harmless fun. "Well then Chat Noir, this sounds interesting. Let's make a deal."

Chat's eyes widened in surprise at this. "What exactly?"

Marinette gave him a small smirk. "How about we both conceal our identities? To be honest, I didn't want to reveal my name to a complete stranger. So this works for me too."

"Hmm... Okay, but what's in it for you?" Chat questioned, while tapping his chin with a gloved finger.

"Nothing much," Mari giggled.

"I see young lady. You already know that I am Chat Noir... so... what should I call you?"

Marinette's lips pulled together in a thoughtful pout. "Um… Let's see…"

Elsewhere in the room, a girl with a butterfly costume had a vindictive matter on her mind. She zeroed in on two particular lovebirds, intent onmaking a huge scene. Even while masked and in costume, Marinette was sure it was Lila Rossi who began taunting Luka and Kagami. The couple were hard to trouble but Lila was the queen of bullying.

"Oh look, it's the emo boy from a broken home," Lila began, "And the ice queen girl with an invalid mother. A pair of misfits trying to make themselves whole. What a joke. Oh dear, Luki and Kags, what are you two doing at this party? No one wants losers like you here. Then again, it's kind of entertaining since you totally suit each other!" Lila didn't hold back her loud cackle as she looked around expectantly for support from her peers.

Marinette's fists curled until her knuckles whitened. She couldn't just stand there watching her friends getting bullied. Could she? As much as she shied away from situations like this as her normal self, this costume seemed to give her a new found confidence. "Excuse me?" she snapped, drawing Lila's attention.

Lila turned with an expression of distaste curling her lip as she looked up and down at Marinette's costume. "And what are you supposed to be? A ladybug?"

The girl beamed proudly. "This outfit was designed by yours truly and it WAS inspired by ladybugs. However, I'm not interested in discussing my dress with you." Squaring her shoulders, Marinette got to the point. "How dare you insult my friends and act as though you are somehow superior. Belittling others isn't the way to impress people. In fact, you've just done the opposite. So, pick up your attitude and go GET LOST! The exit is to your right, now use it!"

All smugness dropped from Lila's face as she blinked at Marinette in shock. Her only response was a dumbfounded, "Huh?"

No one had stood up to Lila earlier. Yet it was clear that everyone supported Marinette's reprimand. The whole area was applauding this mystery lady in red as Lila stormed through the hall cursing said lady under her breath.

But Lila's humiliation was increased as she neared Chat Noir and he noted that the bully was headed in the wrong direction. "She said to your right, not left. And don't you dare to do that to anyone again." His words were matched by a very cold stare which made Lila want to leave immediately.

Determined to retaliate, Lila spun back around to have the last word but unexpectedly slipped over in her haste, taking Marinette and Chat Noir with her as she fell to the ground. Lila scrambled back on her feet and scurried away like a cockroach escaping a well-lit room.

Chat Noir had taken the brunt of Marinette's fall, cradling her in his arms as he lay on his back. A blush stained Marinette's face as she quickly stood, offering her hand to Chat Noir to help him up.

He took her hand without hesitation and continued to hold onto it as he spoke with admiration. "That was a great amount of courage you had there, um..."

"Ladybug, call me ladybug." Mari – Ladybug replied standing back up. "You too, Chat. I never knew cats could do such awesome death glares." She chuckled.

"Oh, I have many talents, M'lady," he smirked with a waggle of his masked eyebrows. "Now we have a contest to win."

After the run-in with Lila, Marinette didn't really want to stay any longer. "I'm sorry, I think I should go now. I've had enough drama for one day. I can't stick around for the contest with you but hope you find another girl." She said waving a hand at the black cat while heading towards the exit.

Chat Noir opened his mouth to reply, but she was already out of earshot. "You're kidding me? Another girl?" The idea was unthinkable, even though they'd spent very little time together, Ladybug had made an impression on Chat Noir he was unlikely to forget. She was brave, beautiful and made his heart pound. "We may not have participated in 'best couple' but surely, we will be M'lady," Chat murmured to himself,"Whoever is behind that mask, I love her and we will be a couple."

* * *

"Chat Noir," Marinette uttered with a dreamy sigh as she exited the doorways and headed towards her car to get some rest. She wasn't leaving Alya behind. Her best friend was having fun with Nino as she had lucked out and got his chit number. Funnily enough, his costume did little to hide his identity and she knew without a doubt that he was going to give Alya a ride home.

But Marinette's mind wandered back to her feline partner. "He is so awesome. Surely, I'm in love with whoever is behind that mask." Lost in thought, she dug her hand into her pockets as she daydreamed about him. Suddenly her hand caught onto something. Pulling the item free, she stared at an intricate lifelike doll. A doll who announced, "Hi, I'm Tikki!"

_"Aaah! A mouse!" Marinette screamed_


	2. When things spice up- Lady Pappilion

**A/N**

_Let's spice up some things! Here we go, chapter 02..._

_Enjoy! ;3_

**_I thank profusely, GreenPaw for reviewing and editing this story :)_**

**A/N**

* * *

Wearing a black costume meant it was far easier to sneak back home than Adrien had anticipated. His driver hadn't been particularly interested in his attire so that had also been a plus. The first thing Adrien aimed to do was shed his outfit, because Nathalie and Gabriel were not the people he wanted to be noticed by in that cat costume.

Yet the moment Adrien got back to his room and began undressing he had a frightful surprise. "Aaaah, what is this?!" Adrien shrieked.

The last thing he expected to find in his pocket was a cat shaped doll with green eyes.

"I'm a cat doll you stupid idiot! Can't you see?" the doll snapped far too loudly.

"Shhhh... someone might hear you, keep it down, got it! How... how did you land inside my pocket?" Adrien whispered.

"Name's Plagg." The doll announced, yet there was a sense of panic about him as he continued. "Now I've got no time to waste on the tiny-winy details. I'm under threat, and you are... basically all we are !"

"Hold on there. Calm down, how about you explain to me what's going on? Say, let's begin with a little chat." Adrien suggested with a sigh.

* * *

"I was just like you, an ordinary girl with an ordinary life." Tikki began.

Marinette had discretely snuck into her home after informing Alya about having a fake 'illness' and now here she was, listening to a doll speak in what she assumed was a hallucination but nevertheless it was true.

"…five thousand years ago me, Tinker Montohistro and my husband Paul Montohistro were gifted with the powers of creation and destruction to fight away evil. The manifestation of this evil was called the hawkster. For many decades it fought to end us but later we defeated it and he turned into a better person. However the hawkster, who I assume was really my friend Nooroo, was affected with a grave disease and soon it afflicted us too. It was not just any disease it was a magical one which gave us a message. That the evil will never cease, hence we manipulated the magic and turned ourselves into magical dolls, becoming Tikki, Plagg and Nooroo along with some of our other friends who decided to join us."

"Hmm... that's an interesting story." Marinette stated with a perplexed frown. "But where is the immediate danger in this?"

"You may be familiar with the hawk gang?"

Marinette gave a nod of acknowledgement.

"The leader is mainly Hawkmoth and his assistant Lady Pappilion, both are planning to wreak havoc on this nation. They want absolute power and to gain it they need the doll of creation and the doll of destruction. You see, when kept together and combined with the recital of an ancient spell the dolls will grant any wish. But we escaped their grasps and now you are my new master. To fight away the evil I will grant you a little of my powers but you must know to never reveal yourself as my master. To do so will put you under immense threat, which is greater than you can possibly imagine." Tikki's demeanour switched from graveness to buoyant enthusiasm. "So, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, are you ready?"

The doll's change in mood had the girl blinking. "Um…Yes?!" Mari replied with some hesitation.

"Good, now to your costume." The doll pointed to the polka dotted dress.

"Wait!" The bluenette frowned at the sudden notion. "Are you saying that I've got to wear this and run around the streets of Paris?"

"Not exactly. Your costume needs a little work. Shall we?" Tikki smirked.

* * *

"How dare you, Lady Pappilion!" Hawkmoth bellowed as he aimed the gun towards her.

"I'm sorry sir," Lady Pappilion kneeled. "I shouldn't have lost the two dolls. I assure you that not only will I bring you the dolls but also kill anyone who stands in my way of obtaining them."

"I like that idea," Hawkmoth paused and gave an evil laugh as he lowered his gun. "But I'd like you to bring them to me so that I may have the pleasure of killing them. Got it?!"

The lady rose up and returned his evil smirk. "Yes sir."

"Go! Now! And remember, be more alluring and revealing!" Hawkmoth ordered as Lady Pappilion stepped forward.

"How revealing do you want me to be?" she queried with a sultry smile while ripping off a sliver of her dress, exposing more of her already overly shown chest.

Hawkmoth appraised her change in appearance, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Better. Now go, darling." Without waiting for her answer, he turned around and stalked away with the fierce gait of a predator.

Once Hawkmoth was out of sight, Lady Pappilion sighed to herself."Now to get down to business." She loaded her guns and prepped her arsenal which included some needles filled with a secret chemical. A chemical which would help get the job done. She just needed to find a suitable subject to inflict it upon.

* * *

Catherine was having a very bad day. Being the newest employee at a computer industry leading company was stressful enough in itself. But being bullied within the first few days was unacceptable. "I hate these people who think they are the boss of me!" she vented out her anger while walking back home.

Lady Pappilion lazed in the deep shadows, stepping from the alleyway and into Catherine's path. "Oh dear, dear! Such a negative emotion! Come here, darling. Allow me to alleviate your anguish."

"Wh-Who are you?" Catherine stammered stepping back.

A sinister grin spread across the villain's face. "Lady Pappilion! Fear my name dear because now, you're mine!" In a flash, she injected the chemical into Catherine's neck, laughing with evil glee. Seconds later, Catherine's skin darkened to a sickening blue and feral emotion flashed in her eyes.

Lady Pappilion sauntered forward with a look of satisfaction. "You are reborn with the gift of vengeance, what will your new name be?"

The blue maniac sucked in a harsh breath. "Call me Bosser."

* * *

Through some cosmic magical connection that only he and his kind could understand, Plagg shot bolt upright. "Oh no! Nuroo has been activated! We have got to hurry!"

"How can you be sure?" Adrien asked as he worried his bottom lip with his teeth.

Plagg held wide his tiny paws. "Put it down to mystical powers and superstitious nonsense."

Adrien shrugged, who was he to argue with a living cat doll? "Let's go!"

In a hurried movement, Adrien placed Plagg inside his pocket. Prior to this new development, Plagg had helped Adrien adjust a few details in regards to his costume and now he was looking the part of a real he was now officially 'Chat Noir: The superhero of Paris!'

Chat ran as fast as he could using his newly designed baton to help his speed, yet in his rush he collided with a familiar lady, but this time her costume had slightly changed. His beautiful partner from the ball had braided her hair elegantly to the side. Her outfit had been stylised for practicality, reducing the flowing skirt to a much shorter variation with leggings, while the body of the suit was stitched into a one piece. It fit her like a glove, one which hugged her body in all the right places.

Chat Noir couldn't hold back the besotted grin that spread across his face as he neared the red and black polka-dotted lady. "And we meet again."

"But this time we meet for business." Ladybug winked.

Yet their banter was short lived as they scanned the surroundings. The two were on the battlefield now and they needed to analyse their first opponent. This wasn't so difficult because the all-blue villain and had been terrorising the city for quite a while.

A menacing voice laced with anger greeted them. "Hello there, kitty and buggy!"

"Our names are Chat Noir and Ladybug, so stop calling us kitty and buggy and start telling us how to defeat you." Chat hissed.

Ladybug cocked a masked eyebrow and leaned over to whisper, "Do you really think she'll tell us how to defeat her?"

Chat Noir shrugged, "I figured it didn't hurt to throw it out there."

The villain wasted no time in responding. "Aw, poor angry kitty. I'll tell you this much, my name is Bosser. Get me if you can!" In a show of raw power, Bosser struck bolts of lightning at the two.

It was their first fight but the two quickly discovered that their normal abilities were enhanced. Both had amazing agility and were equally skilled when it came to combat. There was an instinctive synergy in their fighting which allowed them to get the upper hand. Together they worked on discovering Bosser's weakness and when they found it, they struck in tandem.

With Bosser on her knees, Chat Noir walked at his partner's side with his baton held in a defensive pose. But before either could make their final move another figure appeared and this lady ran towards Bosser, effectively blocking the superhero duo.

The newly arrived woman aimed her gun at Bosser. "In most instances I would kill idiots like you, and now is no exception."

Panic had Bosser begging. "No, don't please! Next time I will definitely get those two."

"There will be no next time!" The lady screamed in anger.

"Please, just this once! Allow me to hone my skills." Bosser pleaded.

Ignoring the superheroes, the vicious woman pulled Bosser up by her hair and whispered with venom. "Fine! But next time if you don't succeed, I won't be so merciful!"

Ladybug and Chat Noir were flabbergasted by the sudden confrontation between the two women.

"Who are you?" Ladybug demanded as she examined the new arrival to the scene.

The woman was wearing a purple and grey suit, which was way too tight for her. Her cleavage was very visible from the deep cut at the front,matching the plunging back. Her hair was a mix of silver and purple,hanging to her shoulders. Upon her face sat a mask shaped like a butterfly and at closer inspection Ladybug had the answer to whom it was standing before her. Then the woman screeched and confirmed it.

"I am LADY PAPPILION!"

* * *

**A/N**

_Who is Lady Pappilion ? We'll have to wait to find out! _

_Hope you enjoyed! _

_Until next time..._

_Reviews make me happier! :)_

_~ MFL _

**A/N**


	3. Chats and Memories

**A/N**

_Hi! Chapter 03 is here... Yay! And I forgot to mention that I will be updating this story on Saturdays... :) And yep, Hawkmoth is Gabriel Agreste but we got a bit of character changes here and there in him._

_Without further ado, let's move on..._

**_I thank profusely, GreenPaw for reviewing and editing this story :)_**

**A/N**

* * *

Chat had immediately recognised the woman as soon as she appeared. Lady Pappilion was one who killed for sport but more importantly she did it in the dark and no one ever saw her. But Adrien was one who had,because Lady Pappilion was the reason for his mother's death. He could still vividly remember the bitter memories from all those years ago.

...10 years ago...

A blood curdling scream had woken Adrien up at the middle of the night. Throwing back his bedcovers, he rose up to sneak out of his room and scan the hallways. Looking for any signs of the screaming woman. Alas, he found his mother splayed on the floor in a pool of blood with two vicious wounds he suspected were inflicted by a stabbing and a gun shot blast. But then the dawning truth hit him. There at his feet was Emilie Agreste, dripping blood in a growing stain, lying DEAD!

Fear sank its talons into Adrien's very soul. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry but he was terrified! He held his mother's hand and shook her but there were no signs that she was alive. He realised he needed to seek help. Looking here and there in a panic until he noticed a woman passing by through his windows.

He stood and went towards the shadowy figure. In a shaky voice Adrien rasped, "STOP! A-Are you the one who murdered my mother?"

The woman froze in her tracks and looked back. She was adorned in purple and silver with a distinct v neckline exposing her skin to the moonlight. Her features were concealed by her very beautiful mask which highlighted the menacing pits of her brown eyes. But Adrien's gaze was quickly caught by the huge rifle she was holding.

"What do you think Mr. Agreste Junior?" she took a step forward.

"Y-Yes," he uttered while yearning to smack the woman with every breath.

"Good." She practically purred as she tightened her grip on the rifle,aligning it along Adrien's outline. "I was the one who killed your mother. I assumed the useless woman would have kept her eyes shut while she took her beauty nap, but alas, she opened them just in time to see who inflicted her suffering." Her voice turned smug. "I have the most fun when I see desperate fear in people's eyes! But she didn't give up,however she was frightened. Her last words gave away everything."

"What w – were they?" Adrien choked out.

"Don't. Do. Anything. To. My. Son!" she snickered. "Don't worry, lucky for you I stick to my promises. I won't do anything to you. Remember, I kill for sport so I don't play with people who don't know the rules."

Lady Pappilion poked Adrien's slim shoulder with a hard jab of her fingeras she shoved him aside, seeing him as no threat. But she turned back, uttering her final barb with a sneer before leaving. "And that is that: Lady Pappilion gets her kill."

For a while, all Adrien could do was breathed in and out. His mind was unable to process anything, refusing to accept that which happened. Eventually everything sank in, driving him to his knees and making him bawl at the sudden agonising reality he faced. As he replayed the moment in his head, it made him cry louder.

The commotion finally roused his father and Nathalie, who hurriedly came in at the sounds of his distress.

"What's the matter?" Gabriel questioned while looking at his son with concern.

A sob ripped from Adrien's throat. "Momma is dead... And Lady Pappilion killed her!"

...Present...

Those were the last moments Chat had seen concern in Gabriel's eyes. Perhaps he hated himself for not reacting sooner, since having dismissed the noise as nothing more than noise from their home theatre. Yet something died within his father that day, and what remained of him turned cold and hard.

Icy resolve had Chat Noir steeling his spine as he returned his focus to the present. "Hey you, stop smirking and start blabbering about what you want!"

Ladybug flinched at his tone.

It didn't seem to faze Lady Pappilion. "Well, you seem angry kitty boy! Let me explain, I'm Hawkmoth's righthand lady. Though I am way moref feared than Hawkmoth! But I'm not here to talk pretty words. Right now,I'm in need of those dolls you two kids clearly have. Lucky for you, I'm a reasonable woman. I'll give you 24 hours to decide. Until then I'll get rid of this useless akuma!" Pappilion snatched up the akuma by her hair."Remember, if you don't give me those dolls you're dead meat!" she snickered.

Ladybug crossed her arms, looking less than impressed. "Oh please! I've heard you kill for sport, why are you leaving us alone?"

"Because I won't play with people who don't know the rules. You know them now." Lady Pappilion turned back, looking over her shoulder as she proclaimed, "And that is that: Lady Pappilion gets her kill. I'll give you 24 hours to let that sink in."

Chat bit his lower lip as raw emotions flooded over him with brutal intensity. The wound deep in his psyche was still open and the villain had just rubbed salt in it.

"That was weird." Ladybug uttered, breaking the feline hero's train of thought. "But so much for our first day on the job. I wish I could've done something to help out that girl!"

"Same here." Chat replied, keeping it short and sweet.

The combined voices of the dolls spoke in tandem. "We can help you with that."

The spotted heroine and the feline hero took their respective dolls out and questioned as to what they were speaking about.

"First of all, hi Chat, I'm Tikki. And Ma- Ladybug, this is Plagg. Remember we told that each of you had a super power? Chat already knows that his is cataclysm. Ladybug, your one is called 'Miraculous Ladybug'. It helps you clear up all the messes and it removes the evil from the akumas, meaning the villain's host. But for that you have to use the string of the yoyo, looping it around their body until it's tightened on the akuma. From there the chemical affecting their body will be purged from their system via our magic. Got it?"

Ladybug, Chat and Plagg nodded attentively at every word of Tikki's explanation. Although the latter had listened to this a thousand times before.

"Cool!" Ladybug cried as she took her yoyo out to examine it. She now fully understood the purpose of it.

While it would take some time, the two new heroes knew that they would win this game together. Before their discussion could proceed further LB remembered she was meant to meet with Alya.

"Chat I'm sorry, I've got to go. I promised to spend time with a friend. Will you meet me tomorrow?" she asked while backing away.

"Anything for my dream girl!" he yelled back enthusiastically hoping she would have heard and yes, she had! The girl was blushing as she waved goodbye and it didn't fade at all on her way to her destination. Little did she know that the black cat blushing just as hard too!

* * *

"Hi Mari! Did you see the latest scoop?" Alya squealed with joy.

"What scoop Al?!" Marinette replied with a brilliant smile, feeding off her best friend's excitement.

The girl was bouncing on her toes as she exclaimed, "That which is Ladybug and Chat Noir, the two new heroes of Paris!" Alya's look turned serious. "Don't tell me you haven't!"

_Why__ wouldn't I? I'm Ladybug you see_! But Marinette had to bite her tongue and keep that bit of information to herself. "Oh, sure I have..." The bluenette prayed her hesitancy wasn't obvious.

"Good." But Marinette's awkwardness must have been transparent as the journalist intern changed the subject. "Now tell me about your day."

"Well..."

Marinette began to blush at the thought of her last few moments with Chat. Ones that her heart would never forget.

A lopsided grin spread across Alya's face as she reached forward and punched her fist on the bluenette's shoulder playfully. "Well... who is he?"

"He? Which he?! There is no He!" Mari insisted but her friend could see right through her lies. Realising how unconvincing her protests were, Marinette blurted the first thing that came to mind, "Um... Ok, it's – it's – ADRIEN AGRESTE!"

"Girl, you just bumped into him and your blushing?!"

Mari sheepishly nodded at her very false statement.

Alya stared at her for a long moment, as if waiting for further details. When they didn't come the girl slapped her own forehead with over exaggerated zeal. "Wait a minute, I've got to order dinner. I'll go get my phone." Alya ran from the room with a gleam in her eyes that worried Marinette.

What was her girl up to?

* * *

Secreted away in her bedroom, Alya cupped her hand over her phone and whispered, "Hey Nino."

"Hey baby, what's up?" Nino asked casually from the other end of the line.

"Call your dude for dinner at my place, got it?" Alya ordered while trying to be quiet and discrete.

"Whoa! What's the hurry?" The DJ's voice perked up with curiosity.

The reporter snickered. "We've got a crush emergency!"

* * *

**A/N**

_I smell a 'Alya' conspiracy cooking *evil snickers*_

_Hope you enjoyed! :)_

_Until next time..._

_Reviews make my day_

_~MFL_

**A/N**


	4. Dinners and Winners

**A/N**

_Hi there! Chapter 4 is here.. This doesn't have LadyNoir but I guess is necessary for character bonding and for the story to move on..._

**_A/N_**_ 2- BTW, the 'bump' confusion is cleared thanks to GreenPaw :)_

**_I thank profusely, GreenPaw for reviewing and editing this story :)_**

_Enjoy! :)_

**A/N**

* * *

After a good two hours of waiting, Marinette's stomach was on the verge of devouring itself. "I'm hungry!" she moaned.

Alya patted her best friend's shoulder. "Relax girl! My babe will be here any minute now."

As if in protest, Marinette's belly let out a violent grumble. "It's been two hours, Al-" but the girl was interrupted by the doorbell.

"NINO!" Alya hurried to open the door.

Marinette rolled her eyes as her best friend dashed off, not allowing her to finish her sentence. Instead, the bluenette directed her attention to their new arrival. "Nino! Seriously, why did you take so much time! And-" But words failed on her tongue as her thoughts were interrupted by a huge smile flashing towards her. And that smile that didn't belong to Nino.

As if in slow motion, the unexpected guest gave a quick toss of his head, flicking back familiar blonde hair from his beautiful emerald green eyes. It was none other than her teenage crush – ADRIEN AGRESTE!

What was he doing here? She had been almost certain that Adrien had a night photoshoot today. What on earth was happening?! Why did her pulse have to skyrocket as his very presence? Perhaps she would've gotten over him if he had seemed uninterested in her, but Marinette's hope had lingered, meaning she hadn't stopped stalking the poor guy.

With weak knees, Marinette quickly dropped to sit on the sofa. To cover her flustered state, she quickly indicated to the space beside her. "Hi Adrien, um, please sit down."

Adrien looked at the bluenette. "Sure thing, um..."

The way he trailed off had Marinette letting out a nervous giggle. It sure had been a while since they were together in a class, and apparently long enough for him to have now forgotten her name.

"Marinette." She supplied calmly, voice as sweet as honey. Ignoring the inner sting of being less than memorable.

Perhaps he was simply having a mental blank. She sincerely hoped so. Regardless, Adrien settled himself on the sofa beside her and she noticed the tips of his ears were tinted pink as if he were embarrassed. Knitting her fingers together on her lap, Marinette tried to appear nonchalant, yet the nostalgic feeling of sitting next to him was still unbearable.

Thankfully they began chatting as a group for a few minutes, catching up with each other. This quickly fell into a comfortable discussion about their days at college and the courses they followed.

Then Alya gave a not so subtle bump against Nino on his shoulder. "Babe, shh."

The DJ pushed his glasses up his nose, then his eyes widened. "Oh, yeah! Mari and Adrien, give us a moment... Ok dudes?" This was followed by a wink from Nino, as the pair left the room and went into the kitchen.

"Those two seem to be planning something..." Marinette muttered.

Adrien rubbed his chin with his hand. "I think so too. When I was having dinner my Bro called up out of the blue and was all like 'Hey dude, can we go for dinner at Alya's place? It'll be a pizza which probably isn't on your diet but... PLEASE!'"

Marinette couldn't help but giggle at Adrien's perfect imitation of Nino's voice as he spoke. Shaking her head in sympathy, she cautiously reached out to pat Adrien on the arm. "I'm sorry about that. Alya and Nino are pretty inseparable."

"Yeah, they do spend an awful lot of time together. I'm not sure why Nino was so keen for me to come too."

"Alya probably bossed him into it."

The blonde arched an eyebrow in question and Marinette quickly supplied the answer, "She probably didn't want me to feel left out." And was playing matchmaker, not that Mari actually said that part.

From there the two began chatting, freely talking for what seemed like hours. They reminisced about good times and of course their time playing Ultimate Mecha Strike III came up in conversation. At once, friendly trash talk began, to the point where Marinette switched on the gaming console and grabbed a controller, tossing it sideways at Adrien as she sipped her cold coffee.

"Wait, you want to play now?" the blonde squawked in astonishment as he caught it.

A cheeky smirk spread across Marinette's face. "Um... yep. You think you can beat me, so show me your moves."

Eagerness lit Adrien's features. "Old school or do you have the newest release?"

"I have both but if we're doing this, we're going old school."

Adrien looked as happy as a toddler who just received a long-awaited lollipop. "Ultimate Mecha Strike III, excellent. A good game sure to relieve any boredom."

This time it was Marinette who arched an eyebrow, more as a taunt than anything else. In response, Adrien smiled crookedly.

Turning her attention to the screen, Marinette chose the ladybug avatar and Adrien chose the cat avatar after which the battle began.

* * *

From the sanctuary of the kitchen, Alya relayed what she'd learned from Marinette earlier in the day to Nino.

Her boyfriend continued to look perplexed. "So, you're saying that Adrien bumped into Marinette?"

"Yes." Alya nodded, feeling like she was explaining herself to a toddler.

Nino's nose scrunched in uncertainty. "And you thought it a good idea to get them together to discuss this?"

"Nino, I'm telling you, she agreed!" Alya insisted.

"But Al, maybe you should check your facts. I think you're potentially getting excited over nothing. B-U-M-P Bump has many different interpretations and one of them is crashing! Just crashing! They probably ran into each other in the street or something."

"But she got so embarrassed by it. More has to be going on and I need to make sure Adrien's intentions are honourable."

The DJ continued to feel uncomfortable. While Marinette had crushed on Adrien for a long time, something just didn't ring true. Alya had to be jumping to conclusions. His childhood friend and his best buddy would never do such a thing. Would they? Neither seemed to be acting as if they were hiding a secret love affair.

Alya's determination didn't lessen. "I'm going for it... I HAVE to say something. You in or not?"

This was indeed a tough choice. Part of him really wanted to leave it all alone but he'd end up in the doghouse if he didn't support his girlfriend. Darn, Nino hoped this didn't end badly. "Fine," he sighed, resigned to his fate as the two marched forward.

* * *

Marinette and Adrien were deeply engrossed in an intense game when Alya and Nino barged in.

"MARINETTE!" Alya shrieked loud enough to make the girl in question shoot to her feet.

Despite her initial shock, a look amusement settled on Marinette's face. "What's the matter, Al?"

Nino cut in, rubbing at the back of his neck as he faced Adrien, apparently preferring to avoid eye contact with her. "Dude, did you just BUMP into Marinette?"

The gaming pair looked at each other in shock. "WHAT?!" Both cried in unison, or more precisely confusion.

Adrien looked to Nino. "I'm sorry, I don't understand." He gestured to the game. "Are you suggesting I'm cheating? I promise I'm playing fair."

Marinette snorted. "You keep elbowing me."

"That's not cheating, that's distraction." The blonde smirked.

Nino cleared his throat, and wiped his brow under his cap which was a touch sweaty. "Okay, let me clarify. Adrien, since Marinette said you BUMPED into her, I just wanted to confirm my suspicions on what kind of bump it was..."

Adrien frowned at the shared look between Alya and Nino. "Bump?! It's been years since we even met each-"

Dawning had Marinette's face turning into a red tomato as she interrupted Adrien. "BUMP in the sense CRASHED, Alya!"

"But..." The journalist intern looked suspiciously between them.

"Check your facts girl! We were walking the pavement when suddenly Adrien Agreste, who was running in full speed, crashed into me..." Marinette murmured in the hope that Adrien only caught part of her explanation.

It was Alya's turn to get embarrassed. "Oh, ok..." She was one hundred percent sure that she was about to be an aunt!

"It's fine, Alya." Nino patted her shoulder in condolence. Seeing the opportunity to end this embarrassing fiasco, he pointed to the television."Hey, were you playing Ultimate Mecha Strike III?"

The confused look on Adrien's face gave way to a grin. "Yep! Wanna set the game for four?"

"Sure thing!" The DJ beamed as he and the reporter got into thebusiness of collecting their additional controllers and logging into the game.

As they did so, Adrien shuffled closer to Marinette. "What was that about?" he whispered close to her ear.

Marinette refused to acknowledge the shiver of delight that raced up her spine. Instead, she whispered back. "I'm sorry Adrien. I just met someone. A guy that I really like, and I don't wanna reveal it to Alya yet... so I said that I was looking happy because I bumped into you... because it was the first thing to pop in my head and you're good looking, so much so that any girl would fancy you. I didn't mean to cause any drama. I had no idea Alya would do something like this."

Understanding shone in Adrien's green depths. "No worries. I know how hard it is to have a secret crush." He let out a dreamy sigh. "Believe me, I have fallen into a similar situation."

Further discussion on the matter was stopped as Alya spoke. "Hey, before we begin the game, how about a prediction?"

"A prediction of what exactly?" Marinette eyed Alya with suspicion.

Nino smirked. "Relax, she's gotten that idea out of her head. She just wants to predict who will win the first game."

"Me of course," Marinette claimed with cheery enthusiasm. Which led into further trash talk.

As the fight for who would be the winner began, and the selection between the avatars to battle was initiated, both Marinette and Adrien had one similar thought in mind. The importance of the real fight to be had as their alter egos. Of the next time they crossed paths with Lady Pappilion. It was a battle they would conquer despite the challenges ahead. Then it would be on to defeat Hawkmoth. It was something they would win!"

As the game continued, with an occasional slice of pizza and drinks,Adrien noticed his opportunity to play a move which would lead him directly to a win.

"Luck is on my side, Alya!" Adrien cried out, playing a super tackle.

"The tables will turn." Alya called back, as laughter filled the air with joy.

"Reminds me, where is my lucky Ladybug pin?" Marinette thought as she felt her pocket which held her lucky charm, finding it empty.

* * *

**A/N**

_Hope you enjoyed! _

_Until next time. . . . _

_Reviews make my day :)_

_~ MFL _

**A / N **


	5. Lady Pappilion's Truth

**A/N**

_Hi! So, I apparently forgot my login password and took 2 whole days to figure it out! Hence I had to settle on posting today..._

_Also, thanks to GreenPaw I am able to upload a better quality fanfic! (All chapters are reposted with edits, so feel free to take a look) :)_

**_I thank profusely GreenPaw for reviewing and editing this story! :)_**

**A/N**

* * *

Smoothing down her orange pencil skirt and adjusting her sleeveless black top to show the maximum amount of cleavage, Lila Rossi studied her reflection with a nod of approval. Her makeup was on point and with the tilt of her chin she practised the smouldering look she used to lure men into doing what she wanted. It was time to move on to her research and confirm that her current conclusion was correct. This was the opportunity to really show Hawkmoth what she was made of.

Ugh, Hawkmoth! The name of the villain made her stomach churn and triggered the deep need to punch the man in the face. Lila knew that Hawkmoth was also known as Gabriel Agreste. It was his possession of the Butterfly doll which granted him the power to control others and grant them power. It was a heady power that she longed to seize for herself.

Her most fervent wish was to harness that power, making the world bow at her feet as she barked orders all her enemies had to obey. But for now, that power was only dished out to her in small doses. Hawkmoth had offered to share the butterfly doll with her on the condition that she helped do his bidding.

Upon their first meeting, Lila had immediately disliked the villain. When their eyes met she had sensed that he was a jerk but he turned out to be more devious and cunning that she'd initially thought. It came as no real surprise that he was one of the deadliest criminals in Paris. One who also demanded the most fastidious loyalty and cruelty from his allies. In order to prove herself worthy he told her she had to commit a deadly crime.

Lila agreed. However, she realised she needed to do something completely heinous to illustrate just how deadly and merciless she was. Therefore, she decided that if she killed someone dear to Hawkmoth that he would have to let her into his inner sanctum. She analysed everyone close to him and finally decided to go for his beloved wife,Emilie Agreste.

After a week of thorough planning, Lila donned her elaborate underworld disguise to hide her real identity and moved in for the kill. While her nature was already one of nastiness, Lila had never actually killed before. Emilie had been a relatively easy mark, being too shocked to fight back when Lila attacked. But things had not gone exactly to plan. The unexpected encounter with Adrien Agreste had been off-putting to say the least. She had briefly thought of killing him too but later decided not to.

It was Adrien who unknowingly broke the news to Hawkmoth and he was furious! When she later visited him to confirm her kill, the man shot her twice and stab her too for good measure before he calmed down. The Kevlar stitched into her outfit had saved her from mortal injury but the stab wound had been serious enough to need surgery and Gabriel was the one who paid her hospital bill. Explaining that she'd been mugged.

Once she was well enough to be discharged, Gabriel took the chance and spoke to Lila about his deep displeasure at her actions and plan of torturing her. With madness in his eyes, the man had then done the most unexpected thing and kissed her on the lips. The then seventeen year old was baffled by the actions of the much older man. She hated his rough skin on her but knew that pacifying his cruel intent was the only way to keep him from killing her or taking away the promise of ultimate power.

Welcoming her into the fold with reluctance, Hawkmoth revealed his most avid desire to Lila. He craved for the ladybug and black cat dolls whose combined powers far surpassed the butterfly doll's. With careful planning and much research, the newly spawned villainess, Lady Pappilion, had obtained both dolls almost three years later at the age of nineteen. Keeping them on her person at all times to ensure they safely remained in her possession.

But an accidental collision on the dancefloor with those stupid do-gooders made her lose the two magical dolls. Unfortunately, she didn't become aware of the loss until she tried to deliver the goods. Instead of praise, she had to face the wrath of Hawkmoth. Slimly avoiding further violence at his hands by utilising the weapon of her feminine charms which allowed her to stay safe.

It was now up to the deadliest killer in Paris to play according to the rules of the most elusive villain in Paris to obtain ultimate power! Lila knew Gabriel would try to use the power to bring Emily back and afterwards punish Lady Pappilion with a sadistic end, but she was not letting that happen! She had her own plans, which involved eliminating Hawkmoth and in turn ruling the world! But she was getting ahead of herself. There were steps she needed to take before she got to her ultimate goal.

Lila stepped into her brown boots and looked at herself one last time before venturing out. As soon as she entered the street many a young man's head turned at her passing, and a number of them went out of their way to greet her.

One of the bolder ones was her flirty neighbour who stepped closer and had the gumption to call out, "Hi Miss Rossi! Will you be generous enough to place your soft lips on mine?"

"I'm sorry," she batted her eyes in fake innocence. "I've already got a hot policeman on my list today," she said as she sashayed her way towards her local police station.

As she neared her destination, the object she sought emerged from the building. He was youthful, gullible and easily swayed by a pretty face (along with a generous flash of cleavage). The moment he saw her he grinned.

"Hello there my darling!" The policeman greeted as he stepped in and pulled Lila into his arms. She ran her fingers over each and every muscle defining the officer's back as he hugged her tighter, making her chest slam against his. In return, he silently ran a finger over her collarbone, leaning back as he let it drop to the valley of her breasts before delving forward as she let his lips collide with hers. Lila melted into the kiss, relishing the feeling of how his lips tasted.

Yet the moment was broken by a man passing by and offering his own opinion at the sight of the pair. "That man's sure lucky!"

The kiss ended as they broke apart and Lila decided it was time to play her next move.

"Well Metlon, what are you working on today?" she asked while leaning closer.

"You wanna know darling?" Officer Metlon spoke with a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Consider yourself lucky that I'm in the mood for talking about cop business, but... that will cost you a few more kisses."

"Sure," Lila agreed. For God's sake! How many times had she kissed Hawkmoth?!

"You see, our very old assignment to capture Lady Pappilion is still unfulfilled. She's on the run and our superiors are advising us to place lasers everywhere. I've got the map of where they are to be located and I guess the foolish Pappilion will get trapped by it!" he smirked.

Lila had to restrain her impulse to stab the man for his insolence and revel in his blood flowing out in macabre spurts. Through clenched teeth she breathed, forcing herself to just view the map. Knowing where the lasers were placed meant that she could easily escape. The officer was an idiot as he let Lila manipulate him for her own gain with mere kisses of fake love! Her feminine wiles gave her an edge which always worked in getting what she wanted! Lila smirked as she kissed the officer a final goodbye, pressing her chest to his, and left to complete her mission.

* * *

The femme fatale reached her lair now adorned in her wig, makeup and costume. She even went so far as wearing contacts to make her eyes appear brown instead of green. Lila was nowhere to be seen, in her place was Lady Pappilion. The deadly woman Paris feared moved her way up and into her cabin. Once inside she placed the Ladybug pin on the sideboard. The nasty ladybug hero had accidentally dropped it, leaving a clue to her true identity. Because Lila would recognise that pin anywhere. Her worst enemy during school and at college carried that wherever she went.

An evil smirk spread across Lady Pappilion's lips as she dialled her secure line to Hawkmoth.

"What do you have to report? It better be some serious progress!" he barked.

"Relax sir! I've got good news for you."

"And that is?"

Lady Pappilion's teeth flashed as she sneered with dark glee. "I know who Ladybug is. She's a civilian named Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"

* * *

**A/N**

_Hope you enjoyed!_

_Reviews make my day :)_

_Until next time. ..._

_~ MFL _

**A/N**


	6. Night at the Museum

**A/N**

***Me practising my apology speech in front of the mirror* **_I'm so so so sorry for the very very very long delay! Life practically got a lot busier than usual so I really badly didn't have the time to upload properly! I might at least update this fic twice a month to say the least but I hope it would be more... So here I go Chapter 6..._

***Goes out to give the speech***

***Sees angry mob of readers* **_Never mind! I better post this first! _

**Note-_ I thank profusely GreenPaw for reviewing and editing this story. _**

**A/N**

* * *

A week had passed since the first akuma attack on the city of Paris. Ever since, Lady Pappilion and Hawkmoth had created stronger akumas of which Ladybug could only purify some. The rest were taken by the purple villainess who had threatened to kill them, and they were never heard from again.

Ladybug always blamed herself for losing the lives of those poor manipulated souls. Little did she know that there was a much more sinister scheme being worked towards, one devoted to creating an akuma army.

Yet each akuma battle helped Ladybug and Chat Noir hone and refine their combat skills. It also provided a foundation to build a strengthening trust in one another. All the while the chemistry between them increased as they had grown closer, however they hadn't found a perfect moment to express their growing feelings.

With the latest akuma defeated, Ladybug wiped her brow with the back of her wrist as she looked to her partner. "Chat, this is becoming harder and harder! No matter how much we improve as fighters, the akuma abilities adjust and increase too."

"You're right, M'lady. We need help." Chat sighed, taking out Plagg to feed him with cheese. While to concept of feeding a doll real food appeared ludicrous, they were in essence living beings who'd been magically transformed. It still boggled Chat's mind. Seriously, dolls eating to replenish their powers was weird. Let alone wanting cheese?! But these dolls sure were an exception!

"I've got an idea." Plagg spoke while munching on his heavenly piece on Camembert. Which was not so heavenly for Chat considering how stinky it smelled.

"And?" The cat themed hero prompted.

"You've got to find Wayzz, Trixx, Pollen and Duusu." The black doll replied.

Both the spotted heroine and the feline hero went into full confoundment mode as Plagg mentioned his friends.

"Let me explain," Tikki called out, munching a cookie right next to Plagg."Wayzz, Trixx, Pollen and Duusu are our friends who have also turned into magical dolls like us. If we find them, you can bestow their abilitiesupon people whom you trust. Allowing them to fight side by side with you to defeat the villains while enhancing each other's abilities."

"Okay... and how exactly are we supposed to find them?" Chat said, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"All you have to do is follow the clues. Then you'll find them." Plagg replied nonchalantly.

The spotted heroine was fully on board. "Sounds like quite an adventure! Where do we start?"

Tikki smiled at the girl's enthusiasm while Plagg racked his brain to remember where at least one of his friends were.

"First let's begin with the turtle, Wayzz." The black cat suddenly announced, inwardly thanking his brain for not letting him down in front of his sugar cube.

The red female rose an eyebrow in surprise at the lazy doll's sudden idea. "Why him?" she questioned.

"Because he might be the easiest to find, as we know roughly where he is."

"Where is he?" Chat cut in before the red doll could speak. AlthoughTikki probably had a greater depth of understanding as to why Plagg had decided on finding the turtle doll first.

"Wayzz tends to remain near the one who guarded us." Plagg eyed Tikki in a meaningful way, both understanding that maybe it was time to meet up with that man again. Although their last encounter was not particularly favourable.

"What's his name?" Ladybug, who was unaware of the small beings'silent conversation, asked. As she attempted to extract as much as information as possible.

The red doll rubbed her chin. "Um... I can't remember exactly... was something like Wu... Tru-"

"I think it was Dhu... AAARRRGGGHHH! I can't remember!" Plagg cut off Tikki this time, just like his chosen had done previously. Leaving Tikki shaking her head in disbelief. This Chat Noir certainly seemed to be one of Plagg's favourites.

"So how exactly do we find him or, better yet, work out who he is?" Chat asked while looking for direction from his frustrated kwami.

Tikki beat her counterpart to the punch. "In order to locate the guardian, you've got to visit the museum. There you will find an ancient book, and from memory it lists his name."

Plagg gave an approving nod to Tikki. While the book itself was old, the information was updated on a somewhat regular basis. It was kept as a failsafe so that the dolls could guide their wielders to him if they everneeded his help. To keep the book freely available, yet out of the hands of the direct public, the man had kept the book secretly hidden in a particular Paris museum where he once worked.

But there were a lot of museums in Paris, meaning Ladybug and Chat Noir were still confused as to what they should do. While they hadn't necessarily understood everything the dolls were discussing, they did trust in them and each other.

With a nod of agreement, the superheroes said in unison, "Let's go!"

* * *

Thankfully, Ladybug and Chat Noir didn't need to work out which museum they needed to find. Instead, Tikki and Plagg led their wielders to the correct museum. But they didn't direct them to the main entrance, the dolls instructed the duo to go an underground tunnel which NO ONE had visited in a very long time. The place appeared forgotten, the door itself was covered by ivy, concealing it so well that any person passing by would not know it ever existed! The two heroes were amazed at their unexpected discovery.

With a press on the keystone behind the leaves, the ancient door opened by some inner mechanism that was perhaps enhanced by magic. The now open maw was covered in cobwebs so thick that Chat Noir had to swipe clear the entrance with his baton. Within a few steps, the tunnel descended into darkness and Chat was thankful that being Chat Noir meant he had superior night vision, just like a cat. But when his spotted partner stumbled, he was reminded that she was not that lucky!

Reaching out a hand, he caught hers and threaded their fingers. In the darkness he saw the faint flash of white teeth as Ladybug smiled at him. When her fingers squeezed his, Chat Noir felt his heart flurry in response. The distraction meant that he didn't warn her of the debris on the floor. Ladybug toppled forward, her legs slipping to collide with his as she slammed into his back. Thankfully Chat was already holding her hand and prevented her from crashing to the ground.

Ladybug's free arm had impulsively latched onto him, wrapping diagonally across his chest meaning they were pressed intimately together. Her chest to his back. Neither moved, seemingly caught up in an inner conundrum. Chat wanted to be a gentleman but at the same time he loved the feel of her body so firmly against his.

Their hands remained linked as Ladybug righted her footing. Chat Noir sucked in a harsh breath as her free hand skimmed down his chest when she stepped back and stood. Already he missed the contact but didn't know what to say.

Clearing his throat, he uttered, "Sorry. I forgot to mention the trip hazard."

"It's fine," Ladybug answered, sounding just as flustered.

Even though it was dark the two dolls could sense their wielders' blushes. Plagg chose that very moment to place a quick kiss on Tikki.

"Ahem ..." Tikki coughed, breaking their kiss while the two young adults lingered in awkwardness, flushing in embarrassment.

Plagg gave his spouse a cheeky wink as the journey proceeded.

After the unexpected romantic encounter, the four headed towards a small chamber which was cast in dull illumination. As they stepped into the space it widened and there resided about two thousand books! All four party members began exploring the room. They searched every nook and corner for the ancient book, when suddenly Chat was about to shout out a very triumphant 'I've got it' if it weren't for Plagg covering his mouth.

Tikki took the book in her clay hand and examined it. "NO! It's not that!" the doll muttered in frustration as she scampered through the other books.

"There it is!" Plagg cried, pointing to reveal a very old and dusty tome of knowledge. Scrolling through the pages he searched for the clue the guardian had scribbled a few hundred years ago. When he finally got the page, Plagg beamed, "His name is Fu!"

"Fu huh? Don't tell me that we worked so hard to only get that two lettered word!" It was the feline hero's turn to get frustrated.

Ladybug sank down to the floor to alleviate the ache in her calf muscles. "I totally agree with him. My legs are going to give out."

"Relax! Can you see this inscription? It's an ancient code which we in our human state had learnt." Tikki pointed.

With a weary groan, the spotted heroine got up to take a closer look at it.

Chat stood at her shoulder, leaning over the book. "What does it say?"

Tikki grinned.

_"Fu's whereabouts."_

* * *

**A/N**

_Hope you enjoyed! _

_Until next time. _

_Reviews make my day... :)_

**A/N**


	7. Operation Finding Fu!

**A/N**

_Hi! How's life? By the way I wasn't abducted by aliens if that was what you were thinking... My thousand and one apologies before I move on... Let's hope that atleast this time I might be able to post on schedule. _

_Hope you enjoy :)_

** I thank GreenPaw profusely for being my beta for this fic... Thank you soooo much. :3**

**A/N**

* * *

Where was Fu?

Pacing up and down in a ball-gown-super-suit wasn't fun. Take Marinette for example. She had been walking up and down in such a suit and was not enjoying it! How thankful she was that no one decided to get akumatized during the evening. Especially since they had walked through the whole of Paris following the clues, and as per Tikki's assumption, this SHOULD be the last one. What Marinette wouldn't do to make this Gu appear… Chu, or was it Fu? Yes, Fu.

"I'm really _Feline_ tired," Chat complained.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she barely acknowledged the spot on (no pun intended) pun. Instead Ladybug turned to the cat doll. "Read that again, Plagg." She requested.

"Pa kwa sami so lo" Plagg read the inscription – the final clue, "I just don't get it, Tikki… Pa kwa sami solo… Fu used to always say something like that to us, remember?"

"Yes," The red doll replied, "But what I don't get is its connection to his whereabouts. It's frustrating." She complained.

Initially Chat, along with his awesome partner, allowed their little friends space to speak. However now was the time to express their views on the matter.

Ladybug spoke up. "Say Tikki, could it be possible that this Fu guy said something more? If this is like a magical verse, could it be incomplete? You know, like you've only said the 'Abra' part of 'Abracadabra'…"

Chat Noir looked at her with extreme admiration. His lady was a genius! It was a fact, for he was not the only one who thought that, Tikki did too as realization dawned on her.

"You've hit the nail on the head, girl! Pa kwa sami solo-"

"Cha thapa ro malu" Plagg finished, smirking. It was his favorite ancient verse. Oh, the nostalgia… How could he forget it?

"May we remind you that we, that is – m'lady and I, are not quite fluent in this secret language?"

Ohhhhh, the dolls thought.

"Pa kwa sami solo- Cha thapa ro malu. It's an ancient verse meant to highlight the importance of love which means, 'Without the heart that beats for one, one does not feel thy soul'." Once upon a time, humans were enlightened by this.

The two present humans blushed hard. They couldn't help thinking of each other. What if they hadn't met? What would their souls be like?

It was then that a similar thought, or more likely a doubt, crept inside both of them. If they hadn't met they would just be normal humans, not power possessing heroes. Would they still be able to accept each other without the super speed, agility, wit and the tight suites? For…. who they were normally?

Tikki sensed their inner turmoil but did not want to comment on it. It was their call, and besides they had business to attend to first.

"Guys," she called out, "Don't you want to know what the clue means?"

"We do." LB answered on both their behalves, as she was the first one to recover from her internal dilemma.

The feline hero looked at his partner. "I guess it's some sort of place which highlights love… Could it be…"

Ladybug nodded knowingly at him in return.

_Let's find this Fu!_

* * *

Anyone would've easily guessed the Eifel tower as the answer to the little recitation or riddle. But that was not where the two pairs had guessed. Though the Eifel tower was considered as a very romantic place, it was not where either of them would have gone on a romantic outing.

As they reached their destination it seemed as if they had solved the clue.

The Temple of Love.

A place where people felt love blossom and bloom. And luckily, they – Tikki and Plagg – spotted an ancient symbol.

"There." They whispered, trying their best not to attract the attention of the crowd. Yet with their unique costumes, they were not succeeding.

A few hundred autographs later, Ladybug and Chat Noir along with Tikki and Plagg, arrived near the door with the ancient symbol.

"What now?" The spotted heroine asked.

"I think I know." And with that the corresponding kwami read out the previous recitation as the door opened. Well, it was actually a small opening which none of the others around them spotted. They made their way in, and within the span of a second, met a little yet old man.

"So, you found me." The man – or rather, Fu – as Mari assumed, spoke as soon as the little opening slammed shut.

"Finally." Plagg deadpanned, secretly happy to meet his old friend.

"Without further ado, sir, Tikki here informed us that you are some sort of guardian of these dolls and can help us in-" she stopped as the man in the Hawaiian T-shirt produced something from his bag. It looked similar to their dolls. However it was green and it's face slightly serious.

"WAYZZ!" The doll of creation and destruction called out in unison.

"TIKKI! PLAGG! WE MEET AGAIN! WOHOOO!" The green doll – Wayzz – whisper-shouted in extreme enthusiasm.

A few minutes after the dolls had given each other hugs (seriously? Dolls and hugs?) they got straight to the issue of the Hawk gang.

"Listen carefully Ladybug and Chat Noir. You two have been chosen to wield these powers for a very important reason. It is you who can stop this war and put an end to Hawkmoth and his gang, free Nooroo, and whatnot. But I know that every champion requires assistance in their journey to victory." Fu stated as he handed over Wayzz to Tikki's wielder "Here, take him. Bestow his power into the hands of a protector. One who fights for the greater good. One you trust."

Unsure of what to say, the hero at the receiving end muttered, "Th-thanks."

"Oh, and before we go, Fu." Tikki said," Is there any news on Trixx, Pollen or Duusu?"

Fu's face fell, the expression on the one-hundred-and-eighty-two-year-old man's face became grave and more serious.

"Nothing much, Tikki. There is little I can say. However, I suppose it might help you to find one of them. Although, you might not like it."

"The Master is right guys. It's well…" Wayzz tried to supply.

Tikki and Plagg looked at each other. What could be so grave? Their owners were thinking just the same.

"Spit it out, Fu. We Montohistro's can deal with anything." Along with some future 'Agreste-Dupain-Cheng's'. Not that the black cat was actually going to voice it. Tikki would kill him for slipping out their identities. It was kind of their tradition that the ones who possessed the powers never unmasked themselves, so as to protect their families and friends from any sort of danger. Creating protective costumes and fitted masks was quite hard, they had been quite lucky that Marinette and Adrien came with their own.

"Well then, Plagg, you must go to the… _collectors_."

* * *

**A/N**

_Who are the collectors? And how did I learn Kwami language? We'll find the answer to one question in a future chapter... ;) _

_Please leave some love in the reviews... It really makes my day..._

_~MFL :)_

**A/N**


	8. Operation Adrinette - I

**A/N**

_Hello! I'm still slow as a snail aren't I? Chapter 08 Part 1 here. Kinda had to break it down._

**Thousand and one thank you's to GreenPaw for being a wonderful beta! ! **

_Have a wonderful read! :)_

**A/N**

* * *

Adrien had decided not to ask Plagg about why he and his partner were in shock when hearing the word 'collector'. It was actually a collective decision, taken by both his lady and him, specifically as they had had enough adventure for a day. 'Or because my leg was cramping and I would much rather sit down and eat pasta with my dude instead of roaming around in black leather suit, which is kind of tight. (Thanks YouTube!)' Not that he was going to say all of that out. He didn't want his lady to think that having an adventure with her was his problem. NO! He absolutely LOVED it. Period.

"Hey dude, wanna let me know why you're spacing out all of a sudden? Especially when you're in the middle of the street where a random truck was just about to hit you?"

Riiiight! He was walking on a road! "Nothing…."

"Who is she?" The DJ asked wrapping his arm playfully around his friend's shoulders.

"She?! There is no 'She' Nino," Adrien was too quick to reply which resulted in him earning a knowing smirk from the other.

" 'Drien… You know that I know about girls waaaaaaaaay more than you right? Specially 'cause I have got a girlfriend and you haven't," Nino teased.

All Adrien could do was roll his eyes on the outside while on the inside he made a mental note to consult his friend, if by any chance he needed romantic help with LB.

"Anyways, would you kindly enlighten me on why we are walking to Alya's house for your lunch… or date? I very much do not want to interrupt a romantic DJWIFI makeout session you see." The model said, using the special ship name he used to address them with, trying to divert the direction of the conversation.

"First of all, DO NOT CALL US DJWIFI!" he took a deep breath "That being said, I have something special to show you when we get there."

'I wonder what it is…'

* * *

_Alya's POV_

* * *

I am ready. Playing matchmaker for several years now has given me more than enough experience in how to set up a couple…or two. They were lucky to have me as a friend. Really lucky.

My roomie had already finished dressing up. Other than the fact that it took her ages to do so, she looked stunning. The black and white blouse really complemented her skin colour and did a great deal to improve her style. Thanks to my taste that is. She took one last look at herself and turned towards me.

"Lunch is not going to cook itself. BRB Al." She said, visibly excited to meet one of the arrivals. I just couldn't figure out who it was. Her Ex or her crush?

I styled my hair and quickly got ready to meet my own boyfriend, unable to contain the excitement bubbling within me. Twenty minutes of decking up to the nines later, my stomach started to churn. Pretty much everything I had eaten earlier had been digested long ago while I insisted that Mari needed to hold back her nerves while getting prepared to meet Adrien. But for some odd reason she didn't seem all that interested. She was nervous for some other reason. Maybe because of him? No, she was way too excited to possibly think about meeting her Ex. He was a good man but after the break up they particularly did not want to hang out alone, feeling more comfortable when I or his girlfriend was around.

The reason was obvious- they were scared that if they were alone they would become two wrecked emotional babies.

Why was she so excited anyway?

Moving to the kitchen counter to grab some pastries, I saw Marinette talking to someone discreetly.

Who was that?

"No." Her hesitation was visible.

"I can't. I don't have enough money." Whoaaa… It sounded like a kidnapper?

"10.00p.m. tomorrow 'k? Fine."

Did she agree to give a ransom to someone? That's when something clicked inside of me.

"If anyone's trying to bribe my girl," I began, "They better be ready to get through me first."

Marinette was shocked. She looked back in an attempt to find something in my eyes but when she failed she rolled on the floor laughing her head off.

"What's so funny?" I asked hesitantly.

"You… Thought… BAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!" She said showing an item she was holding to my face. It was a red doll. The same doll Marinette used to talk to almost all the time!

"Girl, you need to get to a psychiatric ward or something. Why do you talk so much to a non-human clay doll?" That's when Mari-the bluenette –who laughs almost at everything erupted again.

"Psy… CAT… ric… Omg… HAHAHAHAHA… Alya you are HHAHAHAHAHAHA, so HAHAHA funny." I was not able to see what was 'so HAHAHA funny' in that. So instead of bringing a dagger and killing her right away I decided, as the good human and reporter I am, to ask the same question AGAIN!

"Well…" she began after recovering, "It's just therapy for the exam stress I get, Al."

But we hadn't had a single exam in weeks! And the semester exams were in… two months?

Sh*t

I forgot all about that.

Yet, the explanation seemed like an… excuse. My thoughts were gathered up for later as I heard the doorbell.

"Nino!" I screamed, hugging him.

"Hey girl. Hi dudette. Brought my dude with me."

"Hi." Adrien waved, specifically at Marinette.

A few seconds later the second duo arrived.

"I'm sorry. Apparently, someone had forgotten about this and hence I had to get here late." The girl voiced not seeing the opposing looks shared between the boys in the background while I noticed Adrien's face fall.

"Hi Kagami."

Oh sh*t.

* * *

ADRIEN AGRESTE, SON OF FASHION DESIGNER GABRIEL AGRESTE AND THE MODEL OF THE GABRIEL BRAND HAS RECENTLY BROKEN UP WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND. REPORTS SAY THAT HE FOUND HER CHEATING ON HIM. YET SHE SAYS THAT IT WAS NOT HER BUT RATHER HIM WHO CHEATED. FOR MORE CELEBRITY GOSSIP PLEASE VIEW OUR WEB PAGE.

* * *

The break up was hard. Adrien remembered every detail very well.

_"Dear Agreste,_

_I'm writing this note because I need to let you know that we won't be able to see each other for a while. I've been threatened by Lady Pappilion, stating she'll have my mother killed and the only way to avoid it is to stay away from you for a long, long time. I already lost my father to her, Agreste. I can't lose her too. We've got to give the press a different idea. A nasty break up._

_Miss you._

_Love,_

_Your EX-_

_K. Tsurugai"_

Tears swelled in his eyes. Kagami was never his girlfriend. He didn't want her to be. But over the years, their forced relationship developed and transformed into a bond called friendship. And Lady Papillion had broken that too. His only true friendship remaining after his mother left.

"Hi Adrien."

Eye-to-eye communication was one thing they'd learnt in the past few years.

'Keep the act up.'

'Sure.'

They stared at each other for a long time till Marinette intervened.

"Guys, let bygones be bygones ok. This is a time NOT to reminisce the past."

"Sure 'Nette," Adrien looked at Kagami with furious eyes. Eyes that told her that he was happy to meet her after two long years but still bitter about the circumstances still in play.

"Come along Luka. We don't need the trash talk." Kagami said, taking her boyfriend by the hands to sit while she returned Adrien his look.

"Melody, he's your friend, isn't he?" Luka whispered to her ear studying the two.

"Much more like worst enemy," Kagami corrected loud enough for Adrien to hear.

"Much more like worst enemy. YES. Now I would very much like to talk with real, honest people if you don't mind. So, zip up your mouths so I can talk to my girlfriend here." The model said looking at…

_Marinette?!_

* * *

**A/N**

_Hope you enjoyed :)_

_Stay safe..._

_Revuew if you have time... It really helps soothe my soul..._

_~MFL :)_

**A/N**


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